The glaciers climate change initiative: Methods for creating glacier area, elevation change and velocity products

Paul F, Bolch T, Kääb A, Nagler T, Nuth C, Scharrer K, Shepherd A, Strozzi T, Ticconi F, Bhambri R, Berthier E, Bevan S, Gourmelen N, Heid T, Jeong S, Kunz M, Lauknes TR, Luckman A, Boncori J, Moholdt G, Muir A, Neelmeijer J, Rankl M, VanLooy J, Van Niel T (2015)

Publication Language: English

Publication Status: Published

Publication Type: Journal article, Review article

Publication year: 2015

Journal

Publisher: Elsevier

Book Volume: 162

Pages Range: 408-426

DOI: 10.1016/j.rse.2013.07.043

Abstract

Glaciers and their changes through time are increasingly obtained from a wide range of satellite sensors. Due to the often remote location of glaciers in inaccessible and high-mountain terrain, satellite observations frequently provide the only available measurements. Furthermore, satellite data provide observations of glacier characteristics that are difficult to monitor using ground-based measurements, thus complementing the latter. In the Glaciers_cci project of the European Space Agency (ESA), three of these characteristics are investigated in detail: glacier area, elevation change and surface velocity. We use (a) data from optical sensors to derive glacier outlines, (b) digital elevation models from at least two points in time, (c) repeat altimetry for determining elevation changes, and (d) data from repeat optical and microwave sensors for calculating surface velocity. For the latter, the two sensor types provide complementary information in terms of spatio-temporal coverage. While (c) and (d) can be generated mostly automatically, (a) and (b) require the intervention of an analyst. Largely based on the results of various round robin experiments (multi-analyst benchmark studies) for each of the products, we suggest and describe the most suitable algorithms for product creation and provide recommendations concerning their practical implementation and the required post-processing. For some of the products (area, velocity) post-processing can influence product quality more than the main-processing algorithm. (C) 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Authors with CRIS profile

Involved external institutions

University of Zurich / Universität Zürich (UZH) Switzerland (CH) University of Oslo Norway (NO) Leopold-Franzens-Universität Innsbruck / University of Innsbruck Austria (AT) University of Leeds United Kingdom (GB) National Center for Scientific Research / Centre national de la recherche scientifique (CNRS) France (FR) Gamma Remote Sensing AG Switzerland (CH) Newcastle University United Kingdom (GB) Swansea University United Kingdom (GB) Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV) Italy (IT) University of California, San Diego United States (USA) (US) Centre for Polar Observation and Modelling United Kingdom (GB) Helmholtz-Zentrum Potsdam Deutsches GeoForschungsZentrum - GFZ Germany (DE) University of North Dakota United States (USA) (US) Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) Australia (AU) Université de Strasbourg (UDS) France (FR) Ohio State University United States (USA) (US)

How to cite

APA:

Paul, F., Bolch, T., Kääb, A., Nagler, T., Nuth, C., Scharrer, K.,... Van Niel, T. (2015). The glaciers climate change initiative: Methods for creating glacier area, elevation change and velocity products. Remote Sensing of Environment, 162, 408-426. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rse.2013.07.043

MLA:

Paul, Frank, et al. "The glaciers climate change initiative: Methods for creating glacier area, elevation change and velocity products." Remote Sensing of Environment 162 (2015): 408-426.

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